Closure assembly device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1952 INVENTOR GUY McLAUGMLlN, JR-

ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1957 G. MCLAUGHLIN, JR 2,782,835

CLOSURE ASSEMBLY DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR ATTORNEY GUY MCLAUGHLIN, JR,

CLOSURE ASSENELYDEVICE Guy McLaughlin, -Jr., Lancaster, Pa., 'assignorto Armcstrongl CorkCornpany, Lancaster, Ba., acorporationof Pennsylvania Application August 23,1952,SeriaI'No.3 06;010

has (ilaims. f'(l.-'144-;2)

This invention relates to a device: for ,parafiining and turning woo'd top stoppers, i. e.,' bottlecl'osuresl having a top of, wood witha recess -therein which. receivesacork .stopper which is adhesivelyvsecured.to;,the.top within lthe recess. More particularly, the invention relates ...to a device which simultaneously applies ,paraflin toflthestip .-,of the cork and turns a corkstopperv360rdegreeswith respect to the wood top immediately 'aftertglueihasbeen applied. to the wood top, servingzto,properly..,and.,evenly ldistribute thefglue to :insure a more positiveta dhesive lbond between the wood. top and. the cork stopper.

"In the manufacture. of woodtop corkstoppers such: as those conventionally .usedi in .the sealing v.otliquor containers, etc; it has been founddesirabletto rotate-the. cork stopper through 1360 degrees .in. order.to ..i-nsure proper distribution ofIthe adhesive. between the. corkrand .the wood top. It has been found. that. if;the cork stoppenisrotated "360- degrees withv respect. to..thewood .top aftertheagluehas been appliedandbefore the glue.has.set,.-the wipingaction tendsto :uniformlydistribute: the glue .in the area between the woodtop. and. the cork stopper, -,givin g :a-1 moreicom- ,plete bond .andatt the same time resulting in a neat appearance inasmuch'asthe glue.line will bena vervthin line at the zone of juncture between thercorkand the wood. Prior .to. the: invention set. forth -in thiszapplicatiom-this operation. of .turningthe cork. stopper with-.respeot tothe wood top wasdone' byhandand requiredagreatadeal of expense in; labor cost.

In themanufactureof wooditop-stopperscof. the type disclosed herein, it .iSJrIlCCBSSflI'Y to coat the tip of.the:cork with .paraffin vor.other protectivercoating to prevent'the contentsof the bottle from deleteriously affectingthecork, -.and also to prevent .the cork.from.-imparting..a tasteztothe contents .of .the bottle. -By using ..the .machinedescribed t herein; itis, possibleto perform the paraffiningt operation .andsimultaneouslylltherewith rotate thecorkthrough-360 degrees with respect to the wood top totproperlyrlistrihute .the glue between the cork and the Wood top. ...The.machine .cain also be used topei'form these operationssseparately.

For. example, it can be used. to turn corks which donot -.re quire paraflin .orlitmay be used to parafiincorks which are: not. secured to wood. tops.

'Anobject of this invention is to provide aa-machine which will.apply-.fluid parafiin to the tip; of corkstoppers.

. Another .object ofthis invention is -to provide.a7mecha- .nism.whi'ch will. rotate the cork with respect to .the wood -.top.at..the time the paraffin is being applied to the tip of .ithe. cork. to. insure even :and uniform distribution of'ithe -the parafiin-applying. and cork-feeding :device.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a conveyor grates Patent:

.band'Z which carries Wood top cork stoppers3 in a continuous manner immediately after the cork has been put in place in the wood top with a film of fluid glue between .the cork and the wood top. The conveyor band 2 supplies the corkand wood top assemblies 3 to a rotary turntable .drives a sprocketfl keyed toashaft 9. .Also keyed to-shaft 9is'-the. cylindrical cam :10. The camtrack 11 ofthe cylindrical .cam 10 engages cam followers 12 on the that one rotation of the cam will move the platef13 an respondsto the number. of stopper-receiving recesses in the turntable .4,.and the spacing of thecamfollowers 12 is the same as the spacing of the pockets in the turntable 4.

' 'forthe. turntable '4 to accommodate wood-tops of diiferent thicknesses. 'It willbe clear from this description that one .5 revolution of the cylindrical camltl on theshaft 9will rotate the turntable 4 a. distance equal to the distance from (the center of oneof the stopper-receiving recesses to the center of the next stopper-receiving recess.

Also .positioned for engagementwith the cam track 11 of cylindrical earn it? is a second cam plate 17 carrying a,.p1urality of camfollowers. 18. These cam followers 18 :are the'sarne as cam. followers 12 and areengagedbythe "same cam track 11 of cylindrical cam 10. Each rotation 'of the cylindrical camit) will move the cam plate 17 a :distance equal-to the distance from the center ofone cam follower 18. to the center of the next cam follower 18. This arrangement transmits intermittent rotary motion to the cam platel'? the same as to the cam plate 13; however,it'should be bornein. mind that the contour ofthe cam trackll is such that during a cycle of rotation ofthe cylindrical cam 10, only one of the plates 13m 17 will be'in motion at any onetime. In other words, while cam plate 13 is being moved, cam plate 17.will be stationary,

' and vice versa.

"which 'paraflining head 5 is mounted.

The outer periphery of cam plate 17 carriesua gear 19 "whichengages other gears in ajgear train and through head 5. The gear'train between thegear 19 and thegear 20' is of suchratio that rotation of the camplate17 from the'center'of one cam followerlil to thecenter -of.the

next'carn follower lti'will rotate thegeatZl on the shaft 2 22 one complete revolution, or 360 degrees. The parafiini'nghead 5 is mounted'on hollow shaft 22 through which moltenparatfin is fed. 'The paraflinrnay betmaintained in molten condition within this tube by suitable heaters,

'I'In'order forthe cork stopper 3 to be placed in'posi- .tion zunder. the parafiining head 5, it is neeessary'thatthe if parafiining. head be adapted for reciprocatory motion in a vertical direction as well as rotary motion. This is I 3 accomplished by a collar 23 adjustably mounted on the head 5. This collar 23 is engaged by cam rollers 24 mounted on rocker arms 25 which pivot about a pivot point 26. The other end of rocker arm 25 carries a cam follower 27 for engagement with a cam 28 keyed to the shaft 9. The positioning of the cam 28 on the shaft 9 is such that it will depress the cam follower 27 immediately after the paraffining head has completed its rotating cycle. This depressing of the cam follower 27 will pivot the rocker arm 25 about pivot point 26 and raise the parafiining head 5. A spring 29 is attached to the end of the rocker arm 25 and the frame of the machine so that the spring will return the paraffining head 5 to its lowermost position when the cam follower 27 has moved off the high point of the cam 28. The vertical position of the parafiining head may be adjusted by turning the locking nuts 30 on the threads 31 on the shaft 22. This raises or lowers the collar 23 on the shaft 22. This adjustment is provided to accommodate corks of different heights. While the parafiining head 5 is moved upwardly, the cylindrical cam imparts intermittent rotary motion to the turntable 4 and moves the completed stopper from its position beneath the paraffining head 5 and brings the next stopper into position under the paraffining head. As soon as this operation has been accomplished, the cylindrical cam 10 imparts rotary motion to the cam plate 17, which in turn rotates the paraifining head 5.

The paraffining head is preferably provided with a pad of felt'or other absorptive material in its lower extremity, as shown at 32, and the frictional drag between this felt pad and the cork at the time this paraffin is being applied is sufficient to rotate the cork. The size and shape of the felt pad may be changed, depending on the size of the cork being coated and the area to be coated. In some instances, only the tip of the cork is coated; while in other instances, the tip and a portion of the side are coated. The parafiining head 5 rotates the cork with respect to the wood while the wood top is held by a spring 33, secured to the frame of the machine. It will be understood also that the liquid glue acts as a lubricant between the cork and wood top and permits easy rotation of one with respect to the other.

Inasmuch as there is a tendency for the cork to adhere to the paraffin-applying pad, it is necessary to provide means to prevent the cork from following the pad when the parafiining head is moved in an upward direction. This is accomplished by tongs 34, the arms of which are pivoted at pivot point 35. The arms of the tongs 34 are provided with meshing gears 36 so that when the one arm moves, the other will move a proportionate distance. The one arm 34 is keyed to a shaft 37, and a link 38 is also keyed to shaft 37. This link 38 is connected by means of another link 39 to a rocker arm 40 which pivots about pivot point 41. The rocker arm 40 has a cam follower 42 which engages another cam 43 mounted on the common shaft 9. The contour of the cam 43 and its position on the shaft 9 is such that it will depress the end of rocker arm 40 immediately after rotary motion has ceased in the paraffining head 5. The downward motion on the rocker arm 40 will close the tongs 34 and the fingers 44 will engage the cork 3 and hold it while the parafiining head 5 is withdrawn. Immediately after the bond between the paraffining head and the cork is broken, the tongs open by means of spring 45, one end of which is attached to the end of the arm 40 and the other end of which is attached to the frame of the machine. This releases the cork and it is free to move from its position under the paraflining head to the next staation, and another cork is brought into position under the paraffining head.

As the corks move around the machine, when they reach a point 90 degrees from the point at which the paraffining is accomplished, or 180 degrees from the point at which they were fed into the turntable 4, they are fed onto the same conveyor 2 and carried away from the machine.

In the operation of this device, the corks 3 and wood tops, which have been previously assembled with a film of liquid adhesive disposed therebetween, are fed on the conveyor 2 to suitable wood top receiving recesses in the intermittently rotating turntable 4. The wood top with the cork positioned therein is moved by the turntable 4 through an arc of degrees and comes to rest directly under a parafiining head 5. The paraffining head is then lowered so that the felt pad 32 positioned at the lower extremity of the paraflining head engages the tip of the cork and applies a film of paraflin thereto. While the felt pad is in engagement with the cork, the entire paraffining attachment is rotated through 360 degrees and the friction between the felt pad and the cork is sufficiently great that the cork will rotate with the paraflining head while the wood top is held from rotation by the spring 33.

After the paraffin has been applied and the cork has been rotated, the parafiining head 5 moves upwardly and the intermittently rotating turntable 4 moves the cork and wood top assembly 3 away from its position beneath the paraffining head through an arc of 90 degrees to a point where the cork and wood top assembly is placed on the same conveyor which'fed it to the device at a diametrically opposite point.

During the operating cycle of the device, all the motions are effected by a plurality of cams mounted for rotation on a common shaft 9. The cylindrical cam 10 is provided with a cam track 11 for engagement with one set of cam followers 12 mounted on plate 13 and a second set of cam follower 18 mounted on plate 17. One complete revolution of the cylindrical cam 10 moves the plates 13 and 17 a distance equal to the distance from the center of one cam follower to the center of the next cam follower. The contour of the cam track 11 is such that when the cam plate 13 is being moved, the cam plate 17 is stationary, and vice versa. The plate 13 and the turntable 4 are both keyed to a common vertical shaft 14 so that the intermittent rotary motion imparted to the plate 13 by the cylindrical cam 10 through cam follower 12 will be transmitted through the shaft 14 to the turntable 4. The number and position of the wood top receiving recesses in the turntable 4 correspond to the number and position of cam followers 12.

The plate 17 is provided on its outer periphery with a gear 19 which, through a suitable gear train, is in mesh with gear 21 keyed to the parafiining head. Gear 21 is of sufficient width that it will mesh with gear 20 regardless of whether the paraflining head 5 is in its lowermost position or in its uppermost position. The gear train be tween gear 19 and gear 21 is of such ratio that the motion imparted to the cam plate 17 during one revolution of the cylindrical cam 10 will turn the paraffining head 5 through one complete revolution.

The vertical reciprocatory motion is imparted to the paratfining head 5 by a cam 28 keyed to shaft 9. This cam 28 actuates rocker arm 25, the end of which is in engagement with the collar 23 by means of the roller 24. The positioning of the cam 28 on the shaft 9 is such that the high point of the cam will depress the end of rocker arm 25 immediately after cylindrical cam 10 has finished moving plate 17 the distance from the center of one cam follower 18 to the center of the next cam follower 18. This prevents the raising of the paraflining head before it has completed one full revolution in contact with the cork. The cam 28 is so contoured that it will permit the spring 29 to pull the head down into engagement with the cork immediately before the cylindrical cam 10 starts to rotate the paraflining head 5.

Immediately before the cam 28 lifts the paraflining head from its contact with the cork, the tongs 34 close and the fingers 44 engage the cork to prevent the cork from following the paratfining head as it moves upwardly.

These tongs 34 are actuated by cam 43 keyed to shaft 9.

The positioning of cam 43 is such that it will depress rocker arm 40 immediately before the parafiining head starts its upward travel but after the parafiining head 5 has completed its cycle of rotation. The tongs 34 are closed for a very short period of time, after which the spring 45 raises the rocker arm after the roller 42 moves off the high point of the cam 43. This action of the spring 45 opens the tongs. Immediately after the tongs have opened, the cylindrical cam engages one of the cam followers 12 on plate 13, rotating the same and moving the completed stopper from its position under the paraflining head and moving another stopper into position for the next cycle of the device.

It will be noted that with this arrangement of cams all properly mounted on one shaft, synchronization of the moving parts can be easily achieved and maintained during continuous high-speed operation.

I claim:

1. In a device for coating corks yieldably held to tops by unset adhesive, a rotatable pocketed carrier for moving equally spaced tops with corks thereon from a feeding device through a coating station to a delivery position, a feeding device for delivering tops with corks to the carrier, coating means at the coating station mounted for rotation and reciprocation about and along an axis normal to the carrier and substantially coincident with the axis of a cork in coating position at the coating station, means for rotating the carrier and coating means alternatively, and means for reciprocating the coating means into and out of engagement with the cork, said device being characterized by the rotating means rotating the carrier the space between pockets alternatively with rotating the coating means one revolution and reciprocating the coating means one cycle.

2. In a device for coating corks yieldably held to tops by unset adhesive, a rotatable pocketed carrier for moving equally spaced tops with corks thereon from a feeding device through a coating station to a delivery position, a feeding device for delivering tops with corks to the carrier, coating means at the coating station mounted for rotation and reciprocation about and along an axis normal to the carrier and substantially coincident with the axis of a cork in coating position at the coating station, means for rotating the carrier and the coating means alternatively and means for reciprocating the coating means into and out of engagement with the cork, and means provided at the coating station to engage the top to insure relative rotation between the cork and top, said device being characterized by the rotating means rotating the carrier in the space between pockets alternatively with rotating the coating means one revolution and reciprocating the coating means one cycle.

3. In a device for coating corks yieldably held to tops by unset adhesive, a rotatable pocketed carrier for moving equally spaced tops with corks thereon from a feeding device through a coating station to a delivery position, a feeding device for delivering tops with corks to the carrier, coating means at the coating station mounted for rotation and reciprocation about and along an axis normal to the carrier and substantially coincident with the axis of a cork in coating position at the coating station, means for rotating the carrier and the coating means alternatively and means for reciprocating the coating means into and out of engagement with the cork, and means for holding said cork while the coating means is moving out of engagement with the cork, said device being characterized by the rotating means rotating the carrier the space between pockets alternatively with rotating the coating means one revolution and reciprocating the coating means one cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,131,325 Busch Mar. 9, 1915 2,113,592 Johnson Apr. 12, 1938 2,237,359 Ott Apr. 8, 1941 2,394,420 Allen et al. 1- Feb. 5, 1946 

